NOVPUB
Chapter 170: Sharing Life and Death
After hearing Zhang Zhiyin’s story, Chu Xinran couldn’t help but smile.
“I knew it, he’s always been so good.”
Zhang Zhiyin raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Did you know him before?”
Although she suspected that the female guests on the romance show had special feelings for Fang Zhou, without confirmation, she couldn’t be sure and could only speculate.
Chu Xinran smiled and took out a previously deleted photo of her and Fang Zhou, showing it to Zhang Zhiyin.
“We actually met in college.”
The photo, once deleted for unknown reasons, reappeared on Chu Xinran’s phone because she had a backup.
However, her tears that day were real. She genuinely thought Fang Zhou had deleted it, believing he was so heartless as to not even keep a photo.
Looking at the perfectly matched couple in the photo, Zhang Zhiyin couldn’t smile anymore.
She blinked and looked elsewhere, saying meaningfully, “I see. I thought you didn’t know each other before.”
At that moment, Zhang Zhiyin was 80% certain that Chu Xinran was one of Fang Zhou’s ex-girlfriends. Including Qiao Sisi, that made two.
Perhaps the others were also entangled with him.
Zhang Zhiyin’s mind flashed with vivid dreams she had, and her once calm heart grew anxious again.
Could Chu Xinran be the one who hurt Fang Zhou?
Originally, they thought they could stay safely on the bus and wait for rescue. Unfortunately, the river beside the highway had other plans.
Blocked by collapsed mountains on both ends, the river’s water began to rise. After only ten minutes, the water had reached their calves.
Fang Zhou frowned, sensing danger.
If the water level continued to rise and slammed against the mountain, even the stable parts might collapse. They had to leave this area.
He decisively explained the situation to everyone on the bus.
Realizing the urgency, no one dared to stay. They followed Fang Zhou and the director’s suggestion to walk through the area.
Fang Zhou found a rope from the toolbox, having the heaviest Sun Haotian lead the way, with everyone else holding the rope in line.
The water flowed harder, and lighter people like Chu Xinran could easily be swept away. Holding the rope provided some security.
Someone led the way, and Fang Zhou stayed at the back, watching everyone to ensure no one fell behind.
They struggled through the water, stepping on the recently collapsed rocks, slipping and stumbling.
Someone carried the unconscious old woman, moving even slower.
A few hundred meters felt exceptionally difficult.
“Ah!”
Qiao Sisi slipped and fell into the water, her face soaked.
Someone quickly helped her up, asking softly, “Are you okay? Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you?”
Qiao Sisi glanced at Fang Zhou, who was watching her indifferently, as if she were causing trouble on purpose.
Feeling a bit wronged, she tightened her grip on the rope and said, “I’m fine, thank you.”
Then she limped forward, forcing herself to move.
Fang Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, not because he feared she’d ask him to carry her, but because it would hinder his observation of the surroundings.
Before he could think more, a falling rock headed straight for the group!
“Liu Hao! Two steps left!”
Liu Hao’s body reacted faster than his mind, moving two steps as Fang Zhou suggested. A rock the size of a palm fell by his feet with a thud.
“Damn!”
Liu Hao realized Fang Zhou had just saved his life. Without his warning, he could’ve been seriously injured or worse.
“Thanks, man!”
Separated by several people, Liu Hao wished he could run over and hug Fang Zhou.
“Hurry up, we’re almost there!”
Fang Zhou urged everyone to move faster.
The water had reached his thighs, nearing his waist. If they didn’t leave soon, they’d have to swim, and the raging river was too dangerous to cross.
Despite rushing, it took several minutes for nearly twenty people to traverse the path. When it was Fang Zhou’s turn, it had already been several minutes.
Stepping on a rock, Fang Zhou was about to take another step when the rock slipped, and he fell into the water!
The water cushioned his fall but still hit hard.
Muddy water rushed into his lungs, making it hard to breathe.
“Fang Zhou!”
Someone called his name, but he couldn’t respond. One hand pounded his chest, the other supported him to keep from falling.
Suddenly, someone grabbed him, pulling him from the water and patting his back, helping him breathe again.
Tears from choking blurred his vision. He wiped them away and saw Zhang Zhiyin beside him.
“Why did you come back?”
He looked up, seeing everyone had made it past the collapsed mountain to safety. Why had she returned?
“I’m walking with you.”
She supported him, heading up the rocky mountain together.
She had looked back and, not seeing Fang Zhou, worriedly returned to find him fallen.
“Why did you come back? It’s dangerous!”
Fang Zhou couldn’t help but scold her, partly out of concern and partly touched.
“Let’s go! No time for talk!”
Zhang Zhiyin climbed the rocky mountain with Fang Zhou, noticing his bleeding leg.
“Your leg...”
“It’s fine, just need some medicine later. Let’s go.”
Fang Zhou waved, urging Zhang Zhiyin to move.
But he underestimated the wound. Soaked in water, it didn’t hurt much, but now the wind and moisture made it excruciating.
Taking a step, his leg gave out, and he almost fell.
“Fang Zhou!”
Zhang Zhiyin, too weak to hold him, fell with him.
In a critical moment, Fang Zhou wrapped his arm around Zhang Zhiyin, protecting her head as they tumbled down like rolling stones.
Before losing consciousness, Fang Zhou had one thought: Damn, this hurts!
